Demonic Dragon: Harem System

Strax kept his pace as he ran through the dimly lit, narrow corridors of the castle, hearing the wind howl strangely in sync with the furious shouts of the three succubi behind him.

He was starting to break out in a cold sweat, his body near its limit, and the whole atmosphere was affecting him in some mysterious way. It wasn't just the sulfuric smell in the air or the strange sensation that intensified the deeper he went into the castle; it felt like someone was watching him.

"Come here, you coward!" The laughter and taunts of the three sisters echoed off the walls, but he didn't have time to worry about their threats.

'They really won't stop until I'm captured... damn it,' he muttered, trying to push himself harder, but he'd already hit his speed limit. Without mana reinforcement, he was just a superhuman—nothing like the cultivator he once was.

A momentary lapse in focus was all it took for Erniel to appear at his side, swiping at him with a claw covered in sharp shadows.

Strax barely dodged, but it threw him off balance, and Aliel took the chance to appear in front of him, blocking his path.

With no time to think, he spun his body, using the momentum to deliver a quick kick toward Aliel. She blocked it easily, but he used the chance to gain some distance, jumping back—only to realize that Eriel was already positioned behind him.

"You're fast, but not fast enough!" she yelled, a glint of triumph in her eyes before she launched a direct attack.

The blow was strong and unexpected. Before he could react, he felt a crushing force strike his chest, slamming him violently against the stone wall. He hit it with such force that the wall cracked, then gave way under his weight. Strax crashed through the stone, and the rubble collapsed around him as he fell into the darkness below.

He hit the ground with a thud, rolling across the dust-covered floor and broken pieces of stone until he finally stopped.

Panting, he got up slowly, brushing the dust off his shoulders as his eyes adjusted to the gloom of his new surroundings. The room he'd fallen into was vast, with high ceilings and walls worn by time.

Scattered around, he saw ancient equipment, rusted armor, chipped shields, and weapons of all kinds.

The air was thick with the smell of old iron and dampness, and the scene resembled a forgotten battlefield.

"A weapons room…" Strax murmured, feeling adrenaline start to kick in. Maybe his luck was finally turning.

Before he could grab any weapon, the three succubi burst through the hole in the wall, flying into the room with expressions of fury. They surrounded him like predators, eyes gleaming with malice and a thirst for revenge.

"You'll regret trying to escape, filthy human," Erniel snarled, her voice dripping with contempt.

Strax didn't respond. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on an old, rusted sword lying among the other weapons on the ground. He crouched down, gripping the blade firmly, feeling its weight in his hands. It seemed to have been forged in ages past, but it was still sharp enough to cut flesh.

Impatient, Aliel lunged first, claws poised to tear him apart. Strax blocked her strike with the sword, sparks flying from the impact. He quickly twisted the blade, delivering a slash that caught Aliel by surprise, hitting her shoulder and drawing a scream of pain.

"Urghhh! How dare you!" she screamed, stepping back, her eyes blazing with hatred.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Strax pressed forward, moving with precision and speed. He knew this was his only chance to turn the tide; every strike had to count. Erniel and Eriel tried to attack him from opposite sides, but he anticipated their move, swinging the sword in a wide arc, forcing them to retreat.

Now that he was armed, the game had changed. The sword in his hands seemed to reignite his confidence, and he used his combat skills to dominate the three succubi, blow by blow. Eriel lunged again, shadows condensing into a spear in her hand. She struck with force, but Strax sidestepped skillfully, slicing her arm with a precise cut. She retreated with a cry of pain, glaring furiously at the open wound.

'Even though I don't have any powers left, my sword techniques should still work normally, since they're based on my own experience,' Strax thought as he analyzed everything around him.

"Getting tough, isn't it?" he taunted, giving a half-smile. "You're not so intimidating when you face some resistance. Naturally, I could've wiped you out by turning into a Giant Dragon, but it seems this world is against me, so I'll do it the favor of shaking things up a bit."

Aliel, irritated, beat her wings with force and flew straight at him, launching a series of rapid attacks with her sharp claws. Strax blocked and dodged, each movement carefully calculated. He countered with a swift slash, striking Aliel's leg and bringing her to the ground.

Erniel, the most cunning of the three, watched the fight and decided to try a different tactic. Concentrating, she conjured a thick mist that filled the room, aiming to obscure her sisters and disorient Strax. He steadied himself, adjusting his grip on the sword, and closed his eyes, listening intently for any movement.

A faint whisper came from his left. Instinctively, he swung his sword in a horizontal arc, hitting something solid. The mist cleared momentarily, revealing that he had struck Erniel in the abdomen, her blood trickling down the blade as she staggered back, panting.

"No… this isn't possible…" she murmured, shocked by the accuracy of his strike.

With a determined look, Strax advanced, giving the succubi no time to recover. He moved with brutal efficiency, attacking and dodging with a mix of technique and ferocity. Eriel attempted to ensnare him once more with shadows, but he sidestepped the dark tendrils and closed in on her, striking her down forcefully.

Aliel was the last to resist. In one final, desperate move, she unleashed a blast of dark energy at him, but Strax blocked it with his sword, slicing through the magic as he charged toward her. With a decisive blow, he brought her down, leaving her sprawled on the ground, breathless and defeated.

Around him, the three sisters lay prostrate, gasping and unable to continue. Strax looked at each of them, his chest heaving as he caught his breath, exhaustion beginning to weigh on him.

"Now… as I was saying…" he spoke, approaching Eriel, who still looked at him with a defiant glint in her eyes. "Tell me where I am and how I get out of here."

But before she could answer, the ground began to shake. It was as if the castle itself was reacting to the succubi's defeat. Dust fell from the ceiling, and cracks started to form along the walls.

"What's happening?" Strax muttered, taking a step back as he watched the hall tremble.

Eriel, with a faint, vindictive smile, murmured:

"You shouldn't have won. Now, she will come for you… Our Queen."

Before Strax could respond, a portal of energy appeared in the center of the hall. An irresistible force began pulling him, and he felt his body dragged toward it, unable to resist its pull. The succubi laughed weakly, as though this was a punishment he couldn't escape.

He fought against the portal's force, but it was futile. In an instant, everything went dark, and he was engulfed by the void, feeling himself pulled even deeper into that infernal realm.

Strax emerged from the portal with a heavy impact, feeling the cold marble floor beneath his hands as he tried to regain his footing. He rose slowly, his senses still reeling as he tried to assess his surroundings. He found himself in a vast hall, lit by ghostly embers that floated in tall sconces along the walls. The flames emitted a purple and silver glow, casting flickering shadows that seemed to move like living creatures.

At the center of the hall, upon an elevated obsidian throne adorned with intricate details, sat the most striking figure he had ever seen. The woman was mesmerizing, exuding an overwhelming beauty and an undeniable aura of danger. Strax immediately understood he was facing the Succubus Queen. She had vibrant golden eyes that seemed to pierce through him, analyzing him with a mixture of fascination and superiority. Her dress, made from a dark fabric that appeared to absorb all light around her, hugged her curves perfectly, and her smile conveyed both confidence and a hint of cruelty.

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on Strax, while a faint smile played on her lips.

"So, you're the mortal who dared to face my servants and nearly destroyed part of my castle," she murmured, her voice both sweet and menacing. "Tell me… what is your name?"

Strax took a deep breath, regaining his composure and determination. He stood tall, fingers still gripping the old sword he had retrieved from the armory.

"Strax," he replied without hesitation. "And who are you?" he asked, meeting her gaze.

She laughed softly, a melodious sound yet charged with a force that made Strax's heart race. She crossed her legs gracefully, resting her chin on her hand as she watched him with an amused look.

"I am Lithara, Queen of the Succubi and ruler of this domain," she said in a casual tone. "And you have invaded my territory, injured my servants, and now stand before me... thinking you have any chance of leaving here alive?"

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Update Mission 2.0 - Started

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[Defeat the Dungeon Boss: [Lithara, the Queen of the Succubi]]

[Reward: Familiar Summoning Skill]